Fiserv, a global provider of payments and financial services technology, has introduced the Fiserv Small Business Index, a unique indicator assessing small business performance in the U.S. on national, state, and industry levels. Published monthly, the index stands out for its direct use of consumer spending data from approximately 2 million U.S. small businesses, offering quicker and more in-depth insights than existing measurements. Derived from point-of-sale transactions, it benchmarks sales performance, measures customer traffic, and provides a numeric value for consumer spending. The December 2023 index indicates a modest upswing in small business spending, with a 0.6% monthly increase and a 2.6% year-over-year rise. Notably, sectors such as Food Services, Retail, and Healthcare experienced notable gains, making the Fiserv Small Business Index a potential standard reference for understanding the state of small businesses.